Don't Lie in Love
by iTomo
Summary: If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I would give you a straight face and answer, "No." Guess what? I'm lying. NatsuMikan; Formerly: What Happened When I Lied
1. Lie 1: Hormones

**Don't Lie in Love  
****Formerly: What Happened When I Lied**

Authoress: iTomo  
Summary: If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I would give you a straight face and answer, "No." Guess what? I'm lying. NatsuMikan; Formerly: What Happened When I Lied  
Chapter: One – Screw Hormones!  
Published: December 5, 2009  
Notes: This chapter will be mainly written in Mikan's first-person point of view, unless otherwise indicated. Contains Japanese terms and honorifics, but I won't go into detail on that cause I'm assuming you guys are pretty much all smart enough. Italics indicate either Mikan's thoughts or emphasis on something.  
Pairing(s) In Chapter: One-Sided NatsuMikan; Hinted SURPRISE [Please note that these pairings are never final, they just appear in the chapter randomly and are liable to change.]  
Disclaimer: iTomo doesn't not own _Gakuen Alice_. The authoress also would like to express the fact that since she has no sense of humor, you should not expect to find creative disclaimers every chapter.

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Either you stumbled onto my story by chance, or you got referred from my old account, Clapping Reflection. Either way, I hope you enjoy the story, and for those who have been with me during the years I was illegally on the site, I'm sure you'll find that my writing style has changed and hopefully improved very much in the year I have disappeared. I have also renamed it _Don't Lie in Love_, and I want to try and incorporate more humor into the story, but I'm not sure how humorous I can get with such a moody plot.

To the new readers, here's the old story, if you're interested: www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net (slash) s (slash) 4291390.

Since I'm your typical, immature, attention-whore, 13 year old, I was at first hesitant to rewrite it because I'm the kind of girl that loves reviews and stuff. I'm not sure if I'll be able to regain them, but I like to write, and if my story can capture the hearts of girls who went through the same thing Mikan will go through in the story, I'm sure things will be fine. Don't hate me. I love writing, seriously, don't get me wrong.

I'll leave you for now and bug you at the end of the chapter. Enjoy, sweeties!

Love,  
_iTomo_

* * *

I'm the kind of girl-next-door character that people deal with.

I _am_ a kind-hearted person, I think, but it's probably because I'm so weak-hearted when it comes to people I care about. I don't dare to say anything negative, and stuff like that end up screwing your life, you know?

It first starts out small, like neglecting to mention to your best friend that you are practically in love with a certain raven-head, but then this neglect grows until you hit 15. That's when you realize you screwed up, and when you start lying in love.

If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I'd either give you a disgusted face or a straight one (depending on who you are), and then I would say, "No," as if we were discussing weather.

But then, guess what?

I would be lying. I'd be lying without blinking an eye, maybe because I've been in denial for so long. I don't even know why. Is it because I'm positive he wouldn't like me the way I want him to like me? We're friends. Just friends. I'm a friend he protects; he's a friend I care for.

He was your typical asshole character, at first, and then the retarded hormones started developing by the time I turned 12. Ten plus two. And sadly, along with retarded hormones came a two-deal package of stupid ideas and even stupider actions.

It's been a while since I've actually had the _courage_ to admit it mentally, but yes, I _do_ like Natsume Hyuuga, he _is_ not my ideal kind of guy, but I want to hug him and never let go. I don't even _know_ why I'm telling you this, but now that you have pried into the sanctuary of my mind, the only choice for you is to _shut up_ or I'll send Hotaru after you.

And speaking of her. . . .

She's my best friend and one of the most important people in my life, but she's also my rival for one of the wrong-est ideas in the history of shoujo mangas.

Natsume Hyuuga likes her.

. . .

Oh, I wish I could capture your expression on camera right now. It must be so terrifying to think that he would actually be interested in her, but it's not that hard to fathom. Their apathy may be different, for he's bitter and she's cold, but in the end, it's apathy.

It all started a few days ago, actually, when I was in the _Dangerous Ability _classroom along with some other people, waiting for Persona to come and give us our assignments for the month.

Natsume was sitting a seat away from me, typically bored and mad (most likely at Persona). He glared the chair that was somewhat between us and set it on flames. I nullified it, mostly because it was somewhat indirect interaction with _him_ and then because I felt bad that the innocent chair became the victim of Natsume's anger.

His eyes flickered to me for a sec, and it took courage to stay rooted there without looking away. He turned back to the chair, burned it, and triumphantly stared at me.

I nullified it again. The interaction was getting better.

"God, Princess Panty, the chair is _mine._ I claimed it first."

"Jeez, leave it alone, Natsume."

He looked upwards, obviously pissed. I didn't want to get him angry, nor did I want to be ignored. I remember scooting my chair closer to him.

"Natsume-kun? I'm sorry. It's just that—"

"Hm."

I bit my lip and wrung my hands, wanting to start a conversation so badly. It was then the most brilliant and obvious topic came to my head. "Hey, do you like anyone?"

. . .Which was a dead giveaway that I liked him. I mean, seriously, I'm an expert in always realizing things too late.

"You're so random, woman."

"I just wanted to see if your heart's as mean as you are. But you know—"

"I like this girl," Natsume said, looking to the ceiling, "And she's unreachable."

I don't know what hurt more, the fact that he liked someone, or the fact he admitted it to me. Oh how I wished this were a shoujo manga, or something. The protagonists always got the guys, didn't they?

My blood ran cold, and I started blinking rapidly. There was only one girl that came to mind when he said it that way, and she was. . . .

". . .Hotaru?" I asked.

His head jerked towards me, eyes wider than usual. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were ready to spit out some random exclamation that I, of all girls, could've gotten his secret crush correct.

"Don't act so surprised," I forced a laugh, "Who else is as unreachable as Hotaru?"

Natsume bit the inside of his cheek as he shot me a hesitant look, "Hold on—"

God, he admitted it. He admitted it. At the tender age of fifteen, my heart was crushed, its contents of admiration and puppy-love spilling over and appearing in the form of smarting eyes and tears.

"Oh," I faked being surprised and stood to get up, "I forgot all about the essay Jinjin assigned us. It's due tomorrow. Hah. I'm so forgetful."

"He assigned an essay?"

"God help you," I inwardly smiled at his confused voice, "Tell Persona I'm sorry, okay, Natsume?"

My voice cracked at his name.

* * *

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Okay, I totally give up on the humor part. There is no way I can make Mikan's predicament funny without making her sound like a split-personality lunatic, so if you want some more light-hearted stories, you can go to my other story, _Boys Before Alices_. I'm currently a bit stuck on that, so this is to help cure my Writer's Block.

So, I would really appreciate it if you reviewed, because that's my medicine. It makes me super happy, and writing is my way of escaping the horrible-ness of reality right now.

See you next chapter!

Love,  
_iTomo_

PS: Sing to the tune of Jingle Bells.

iTOMO's

WRITING'S BAD

BUT PLEASE DON'T MAKE HER SAD

SHE KNOWS SHE IS AN

ATTENTION-WHORE

BUT HARD WORK'S IN THIS

LORE~!

V

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*You liked my song, didn't you? BD*


	2. Lie 2: Sanity

**Don't Lie in Love  
****Formerly: What Happened When I Lied**

Authoress: iTomo  
Summary: If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I would give you a straight face and answer, "No." Guess what? I'm lying. NatsuMikan; Formerly: What Happened When I Lied  
Chapter: TWO – Mental Institution  
Published: December 20, 2009  
Notes: Same as last chapter, and by the way, trying to cookie-cutter format stories is a huge pain in the arse.  
Pairing(s) In Chapter: None?  
Disclaimer: iTomo doesn't not own _Gakuen Alice_. The authoress also would like to express the fact that in addition to no sense of humor, she has also suffered some downfalls in the little social life she has. Therefore, no funny disclaimer for this chapter either.

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Thank you so much to the people who read this story, reviewed this story, favorite-d this story, subscribed to this story, favorite-d me as an author, subscribed to me as an author, etc. You guys make me smile.

I'm sorry for not updating earlier; it's just that I've been slacking off a lot. And is this ironic or what? After I started rewriting this story, my social life has been like déjà vu. It's like history is repeating itself, except with different guys… -dies-

So yeah, lucky for you guys, I can actually write more dramatic plots thanks to my pathetic luck in romance.

I'll see you guys at the end~

Love,  
_iTomo_

* * *

"_God help you," I inwardly smiled at his confused voice, "Tell Persona I'm sorry, okay, Natsume?"_

_My voice cracked at his name._

_0-0-0-0-0_

I numbly ran from the room, tears threatening to fall. My emotions were too confused; I had no idea what or how to feel. All I knew was that it hurt; my head hurt, my chest hurt, and my pride hurt.

Part of me still continued dreaming.

'_But, Mikan! He might be talking about you, y'know! Who knows, maybe he thinks you're hard to get! Don't be so discouraged! Just hope!_'

But the other part of me thought more sensibly, and sadly, logically.

'_That's so unreasonable. There were so many times you guys were together; he didn't make a move at all. Dur. Unless you want to continue to be those freaks watching and bawling over Sailor Moon on a Friday night, listen to me, girl._'

Seriously? I like _Sailor Moon_, nothing against it. I should totally be the new guardian, and be like, what, Sailor Sun, the Guardian of Hotness?

. . .Okay, that was lame. That was off. That was so _ew_. Somebody send me to the mental institute?

I threw myself on my bed and buried my face in my pillow.

'_Let's not cry just yet. God. Dammit. So, where do I start?_'

I settled on moaning my heart out.

"Oooh gosh. It's okay. It's okay. What have I done to deserve this?" I tried to comfort myself to, refusing to sob. No man was worth the aftermath of a tear fest. It was _so_ unnerving, though, how I felt _so_ broken, yet I knew I _wasn't_, because I was only fifteen and what did I know about love?

"Who cares? It doesn't matter to me, because someday I'll find someone who's worth it."

I don't know what happened, but I just fell back down and cried. Hugging my knees, I promised right then and there that the only guys I should ever love again would be 2-dimensional ones that wouldn't break hearts.

I ended up falling asleep.

I groggily checked the time that was projected onto my ceiling and groaned. It was a bit past seven, and I spent the whole day practically drooling on my blanket. Ugh.

"Mikan?"

The voice brought me back to reality. I scrambled to my door and swung the door open, to find, of all people, Hotaru standing there with a paper bag in her hand.

"What _happened_ to you?" she asked as she invited herself in. I shut the door and wondered what I was going to say to her.

"You know, Persona's missions get me really tired. Came home and fell asleep, I guess."

"I see," she muttered before holding the paper bag she was holding towards me, "Your dinner."

I peered into the bag and found our school dinner, packaged. Curry? I cleared away a spot on my desk and got ready to eat.

"Thanks," I said after a few bites, "What brings you here? You usually send turtle-mail."

Hotaru snorted as she leaned against the bedpost of my bed. "I actually don't need anything. Hyuuga mentioned that you weren't at dinner, so I thought that you should eat. Friendly obligation."

I froze slightly when I heard that. My heart sank at the thought of him, and I slouched in my seat, staring at my food.

"Is there something wrong with you? You're acting weirder than usual."

"Nah."

"If you say so."

"Yeah," I forced a small laugh, "I found out something interesting today, Hotaru~"

"Anything you think is interesting probably _isn't_. But I'll listen."

I swiveled my chair so that I was facing her. "_Natsume Hyuuga_ _likes you~!_"

"Okay, are you sure there's nothing wrong with you? I can call the nurse or something."

I started laughing uncontrollably, even though nothing was funny about the matter, "God, Hotaru, one of the most popular guys in school _likes _you, _is attracted_ _to _you, _doesn't think he has a chance_, and you're taking this time to send me to the hospital?"

Hotaru's eyes narrowed slightly, "And you say this because?"

"I had a little chat with him today."

"God, you're so stupid. Stop dreaming and just eat. Maybe you're low on energy."

"At least give him a chance?"

Okay. Like, _what _am I doing right now? Am I, the drama queen and top-notch romanticist, actually trying to set up _my _crush of five years and _my_ best friend?

"I'll go for now. Call me when you feel like you're sane again, 'cause we have to discuss some details about Nogi's next photoshoot," Hotaru waved the comment off and left.

I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.

* * *

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Woot. Made it to the end of Chapter 2 alive. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure how far I was going to get with this story. I have this other NatsuMikan idea in my head, and I'm wondering, "Should I write it? Or should I leave it until _Don't Lie in Love_ and _Boys Before Alices_ get farther ahead?"

Ah, whatever.

School is also killing me. I absolutely cannot wait for winter vacation. I'm going to start crying for joy when that happens. Screw AP classes and their projects.

Anyways, time to give thanks to my lovely reviewers! I have replied to all of them via PM. So props to:

**. RaiNbOw-sOda .  
****anim3girl  
****Crimson Princess Yuuki  
****OtakuShigatsuGalz7653  
****SakuraS41  
****zZznoobwriterzZz  
****xXH3ARTXx  
****YesThatsme  
****ShiroKoneko**

And now for the reviewer(s) who is/are anonymous or have blocked the reply option:

**hagu** : Haha, thank you for the lovely review. And the story you might be talking about is probably the older generation of this story on my old account, Clapping Reflection. The summaries and plots are pretty much exactly the same, because this is a rewritten version of it~ Hope the confusion clears up, and if you still feel hesitation, feel free to contact Clapping Reflection, and most likely, it'll be me again XD~

Ugh. Must finish next chapter of my other stories. –dies-

Love,  
_iTomo_

PS: No retarded song this time, but review for me anyway~!

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THANKS


	3. Lie 3: Nothing

**Don't Lie in Love  
****Formerly: What Happened When I Lied**

Authoress: iTomo  
Summary: If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I would give you a straight face and answer, "No." Guess what? I'm lying. NatsuMikan; Formerly: What Happened When I Lied  
Chapter: THREE - Nothing  
Published: September 6, 2010  
Notes: Changed the genre to Romance & Drama – can't take the humor for this song, LOL.  
Pairing(s) In Chapter: Uh, I'll leave that for you to figure out!  
Disclaimer: iTomo doesn't not own _Gakuen Alice_.

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Okay, I know. I have not updated in half a year XD But it really doesn't mean that I forgot about this story! I was more focused on my other story, _Boys Before Alices_, and I really suggest you check it out if you haven't : D I have really worked hard on that one, but I think it's time for me to switch gears and go back to this one!

I'm so happy that you guys have reviewed, favorited, subscribed, etc. Thank you so much! Love and cookies for you all : )

And here it goes. BTW, I just realized how hard it is to write in first-person POV, haha. But that's how the original story went, so I'll have to stick with it. Gah. I'm not so sure how I feel about this story – It's been a while since there was actually anything exciting in my social life, so…

_iTomo_

* * *

_Okay. Like, what am I doing right now? Am I, the drama queen and top-notch romanticist, actually trying to set up my crush of five years and my best friend?_

"…_I'll go for now. Call me when you feel like you're sane again, 'cause we have to discuss some details about Nogi's next blackmail photoshoot," Hotaru waved the comment off and left._

_I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes._

0-0-0-0-0-0

**Hotaru's POV**

My eyes narrowed slightly as I caught sight of a certain raven-head underneath his self-proclaimed cherry blossom tree. He seemed to be sleeping. . . .

_Hyuuga, what did you do to Mikan?_

As I neared him, his eyes shot open, suddenly dangerously red in the dark of the early dawn.

"Imai."

0-0-0-0-0-0

**Mikan's POV **

I wasn't sure when I fell asleep again, but when my alarm rung, I was sprawled out on my desk, just inches away from a direct face plant into the cold unfinished dinner Hotaru bought for me. I stood up hesitantly, immediately being attacked with a sudden dose of dizziness and back pain. Ugh.

Dragging my legs to the bathroom, I took one look in the mirror, resisted the urge to scream, and threw myself in the shower. Double ugh.

When I made sure no tear (or rice) residue was on my face and was dressed in my school uniform, I nodded confidently to myself and left for the new hell hole of my life.

-skip to class-

"_Hi!_" My voice pierced through the rowdy pandemonium of my class, much like every morning since my arrival 5 years ago. It's a routine, really.

And like always, a chorus of "Good morning!" from my classmates greeted me. There was a Baka-bullet from Hotaru, a sweet "Hello" from Ruka, and a nod from Na—him.

'_No!_' I thought, and shook away the sudden skip in my heartbeat.

I hesitantly took my seat next to him, and made sure to look away. I was never more grateful (despite the pang of discouragement) when Hotaru caught my eye and motioned for me to come to her.

"What are you doing afterschool today?"

_Holy strawberry cows._

"Uh," my eyes widened, "Are you actually finally acting like a typical friend and inviting me to hang out?"

I see a hint of a smile dancing on her lips, "Does that mean you're free?"

_Holy, holy, holy – chocolate cows!_

"Yep," I nodded. Even though Natsume liked her (a lot!), she was still my best friend, and nothing cures a broken – okay, maybe just _kicked_ – heart as a wonderful girls' night – or day – out. . . . right?

"Afterschool, outside by my office?"

"Okay."

-skip to afterschool-

_RING!_

I needed an outlet, something to soothe me, to make me forget about my terrible luck. Throwing my school-bag by my desk, I grabbed a purse, slipped on more comfortable shoes, and continued to run, refusing to stop to think.

My feet carried me to Hotaru's place before I knew it.

_Holy. Vanilla? Cows._

She was actually outside waiting for me. If she continues to do nice things like this, I'll run out of flavors to describe my holy cows.

"You're fast."

"Mhm."

And before we even got to leave, the object of ex-affection and now-obsession actually appeared from around the corner and came up to us. Or just Hotaru.

"Yo," his eyes met mine for a millisecond before looking back at Hotaru.

I struggled to control the fireworks exploding from the eye contact and just waved.

_Sigh._

"Hyuuga," Hotaru finally answered.

Why does her monotonous tone sound oddly affectionate to my ears?

"Remember," and he turned around to leave.

_No, no, no. Why is this happening to me? What is wrong?_

Hotaru paused for a moment, before turning away, pulling me along with her.

I willed myself not to peek behind our retreating figures to see if he was still there. I didn't know what to think of this – What is he talking about? What is she hiding from me? What –

And then realization hit me harder than one of the Baka cannon's punches.

_He asked her out. And now. . . . Hotaru's supposed to give him an answer. And, and –_

"Hey, what was that about?" I blurted out before I could carefully word my fake nonchalance.

"Nothing."

_She's lying to me._

_**Note**__: When Hotaru says it's nothing, it's totally _something_._

* * *

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

I have a plan brewing in my head. But it just seemed like a really dramatic place to end off, so I'm going to leave the showdown for the next chapter.

I am really feeling hopeless about this story. I know what I'm going to do, and I think I'm able to do it. But please, review or something, just to let me know that you're all interested in this… Please?

Thank you to every single one of my reviewers. I'm tired, and my head aches, so now shout-out this time… But hearts to each one of you, seriously.

_iTomo_

PS: I'm looking for a good beta – Not really one that focuses as much on grammar and stuff, but more like a person to discuss ideas with XD Just to make sure I'm not going crazy. This applies to my other story too… So.


	4. Lie 4: Nighttime

**Don't Lie in Love  
****Formerly: What Happened When I Lied**

Authoress: iTomo  
Summary: If you asked me whether or not I liked Natsume Hyuuga, I would give you a straight face and answer, "No." Guess what? I'm lying. NatsuMikan; Formerly: What Happened When I Lied  
Chapter: Four – Like Nighttime  
Published: April 4, 2012  
Notes: Mikan's first-person-POV is easy enough to write, but it was a challenge to deal with Hotaru and Natsume. They're not chatty people, so I can only fathom their thoughts.  
Pairing(s) In Chapter: One-Sided NatsuMikan; hint of NatsuHotaru [Please note that these pairings are never final, they just appear in the chapter randomly and are liable to change.]  
Disclaimer: iTomo doesn't not own _Gakuen Alice_. The authoress also would like to express the fact that since she has no sense of humor, you should not expect to find creative disclaimers every chapter.

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Okay. What to say? Publish date for Chapter 3 was September 6, 2010, and it's already April of 2012. I would apologize except nobody reads my stuff anyway. Heh. Heh.

Well, I have no excuse, other than the fact I lost interest in this animanga. . . . I recently found my old USB, filled with my chapter drafts and incomplete ideas! But I did have some fond memories with writing, and since I already had part of Chapter 4 saved somewhere I dug it up from my email. I suppose I might as well complete this chapter and see the response.

But then! After I typed it all up I realized I already uploaded an old version of Chapter 4 on the site. . . . So here's the edited version while I work on Chapter 5?

Well, it's really been a while, but enjoy.

_iTomo_

* * *

Hotaru and I wandered aimlessly down the streets of town, window-shopping, stopping occasionally to buy sweets from a vendor. We didn't buy much, except for two tee-shirts, a stash of Howalons, and a new laser gun (guess who?), but once we got over the awkward aftermath of meeting with a certain Hyuuga, we started discussing a BLOG - Big Load of Gossip.

"And then she slapped him! And he was hurt, obviously-"

"What a wuss."

Okay, scratch that, I was spewing a BLOG, and Hotaru was offering a colorful commentary of sarcasm.

"HAHA - Koko's not a wuss! Well, he's got a six-pack now, and he's not afraid of reading . . . Natsume's mind, I guess," I trailed off as naturally as possible, trying not to show my hesitance at saying his name.

"Oh whatever," she said, "At least you're back to your chatty self. Let's go to a café."

Somewhat touched by the fact that Hotaru actually noticed that I was being poopy the past day (even if she was half the cause of it), I eagerly followed her through the doors of the famed Coffee Story.

We found a decent little table, and once we settled down, we ordered a cup of hot chocolate with a heaping serving of whipped cream (for me), a cup of French vanilla cappuccino (for Hotaru), and a plate of almond biscotti to share.

"So," she started after our delicacies came, "With no further delay- what do you think of Hyuuga?"

I was in the middle of taking a huge whiff of my drink, and never was I so glad that my mug was there to hide the surprise etched on my face. I lifted my hot chocolate up to my face to take a sip, holding out a finger to Hotaru, signaling that I needed a moment.

Holy shit, I thought as I was drinking, I was right! Natsume asked Hotaru out, and she wanted to make sure that I didn't mind them going out because she's a sweet girl like that- Does she know that I like him? No, I never mentioned anything- Oh-mah-gawd, what do I say? Okay, I want happiness for those two so-

"You're taking a really long sip."

I brought my cup down.

"That was good," I smiled at her.

Hotaru raised an eyebrow but nonetheless took a tiny sip of her cappuccino and shrugged in agreement.

"You haven't answered me yet," she paused, "What do you think of Hyuuga?"

I was prepared this time.

"Oh, is that what you were asking? I wa- Anyways," I stuck out my tongue. I was still in conflict with my internal emotions. Might as well buy myself some time.

She coughed to cover up a laugh. It wasn't really a laugh, actually; it was a small hint of amusement, not quite feminine enough to call a giggle. It was possibly the closest to a laugh you'd get from this girl. At times I hear the rare laughter come from a relaxed Ice Princess, I realize how lucky I am to be her best friend, to make her laugh, giggle, whatsoever- and actually see her doing so.

"Natsume. He's arrogant. And his ego is the size of Piyo (the gigantic chick Ruka is fond of)."

But it's kind of attractive. . . .

Hotaru broke apart a biscotti, "Nice."

"And now that I think about it, you two would make the cutest couple ever," I forcefully gushed, because it was kind of true.

_Pang._

"What?"

"I can imagine it- the Ice Princess, and the Fire Prince . . . Please insert a total fan-girl moment here."

_Ice and fire, steam._

"Mikan. Are you okay?"

"Nah, I'm too busy realizing how cute you guys would look together. . . . No wonder he likes you and thinks you're unreachable. The Ice Princess!"

_Steam. . . . Passion._

"Let me get to the point here: Are you fond of him?"

I blinked.

"Wait, what? Do I look and sound like I do?" I laughed at the irony of the situation.

_Yes, I like him! So much, you know._

She drank more of her coffee.

"Of course, I don't," I grinned cheekily.

_I'm lying, I like him, I love him!_

"Oh."

"And because I'm such a sweet best friend, I won't ask why you asked me that~"

_Because I'm not sure if my heart could take it._

"Good, because I wasn't going to tell you anyway. Here, have some more biscotti."

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Hotaru's POV**

"Bye."

My cheerful best friend waved before running off to her dorm. Instead of going back in, I leaned against the fence and pondered in silence, but not for long.

"Hey," he appeared next to me, like nighttime, stealthily and silently.

_Sigh._ A deep breath. _Should I exhale now?_

"I don't see the point in beating around the bush, Hyuuga," I mentally apologized, "Why did you need to know?"

He was still for a moment, and between us I could hear the sound of our breathing. "_Why_? You just want to hear it again, what, for your sick entertainment?"

I laughed. "No, I'm just making sure. You're probably the most unpredictable person I know."

"I like her."

"Well, my dear Watson, I hope you weren't planning on courting her, because her answer was a no."

**-flashback-**

_"Imai."_

_"Explain?"_

_"Hm?" the raven-haired man closed his eyes once more. How could he act so nonchalant?_

_"Did you say anything to her?"_

_I finally had his attention. There was only one "her" I would ever talk to him about._

_"Oh," he massaged his temples, "She mentioned you, actually."_

_"I heard."_

_"She said I liked you."_

Beautiful. Deception is just beautiful.

_"But you know otherwise."_

_"I suppose."_

_"But it's not like that matters," he murmured, "I'm too dangerous for her. She'll like someone happy . . . like Ruka."_

_"Not quite."_

_He sat up, and his eyes bore into mine like a drill, "Ask her for me. Ask if I have a chance."_

_His eyes._

_"Alright."_

_His red eyes._

**-end flashback-**

_Sigh._ A deep breath. _Should I exhale now?_

* * *

_Amateur Authoress' Office  
__From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Wow, that came more easily than I expected. . . . Anyways, I may continue this if I feel the spark again, but please let me know what you think by reviewing, maybe? Smiles for all! And I'm so sorry that it's Chapter 4 again, not 5. . . .

_iTomo_


	5. Lie 5: Indifference

**Don't Lie in Love**

Authoress: iTomo  
Chapter: Five - Indifference  
Published: July 15, 2013

* * *

_"I like her."_

_"Well, my dear Watson, I hope you weren't planning on courting her, because her answer was a no."_

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Mikan's POV**

You know what's convenient about keeping your love for your object of affection a secret?

Well, when it doesn't work out, you can just kind of, you know, brush it over. Pretend you never felt that way. I think I'm pretty good at pretending when I'm not bawling or spreading joy to the very edges of the Earth. And the great thing is, you don't have to publicly deal with the loss of dignity or anything. Only you know that you liked him; only you know how hurt you are that he doesn't return your feelings. Imagine the horror, if Nonoko or Anna knew about your predicament; it's be so, so, _so _embarrassing. Indifference was a cottage I could hide in when things felt rough.

So I guess for now, I'll pretend that my heart doesn't flutter like crazy in anticipation of seeing him, of being near him, of talking to him. I'll have to learn to adapt sooner or later, you know. I can adapt.

'_He just picked up my pencil. Holy pistachio cows. Okay, now take the pencil and express your gratitude for his consideration. Go, do it now!_'

"Thanks, Natsume."

He doesn't reply, but that's okay too, because he never did. Except it bothers me even more now, because now I know he doesn't reply because he's too preoccupied with someone else. At least before I tricked myself into thinking that he doesn't reply because it's who he is, as a person.

It's been maybe a week since Hotaru and I hung out, since Natsume came and shattered my peaceful illusion of contentment. Things were fine back then. And they're still fine now, if you disregard my silly longings and tendencies to avoid Natsume altogether.

Mother of God. I shouldn't feel so pathetic and helpless. My midterms are _over_ (well, with my sad love life on my mind I'm pretty sure I failed them all), and there was a possibly that I might be promoted to a 3-Star. You'd think that with Persona breathing down all our backs I could've gotten some leverage, you know. But that's fine with me too, because the masochistic freak was away on an investigation in a place called _Cuba_, which is literally halfway across the world.

Life's fine. Life's fine.

* * *

**Natsume's POV**

Is Mikan avoiding me? Or am I just being too paranoid? I think she's avoiding me; she can only go so far if I'm actually sitting next to her. But maybe I'm just being paranoid. I get paranoid easily. It's a side effect of sticking around Persona.

Koko, from a few seats in front of us, whipped his head around, and that blasted idiot actually opened his mouth and said: "It's just you."

I resisted the urge to burn more than just his homework. I mean, after all, he doesn't really have to do it. He can just listen in on other people's thoughts.

"Hey! I can make an effort too, you know!"

_Holy_ _shit_, I thought as I set a patch of his hair on fire. _Get. Out._

* * *

**Mikan's POV**

The distinct smell of burnt hair filled the classroom. I would know how burnt hair smells like; I barely passed culinary arts with a three-quarter chunk of my hair still intact. I even had my hair in a net and all. Then, I snapped my head up in realization.

_Natsume _was burning someone's hair off.

"Don't bully Koko, Natsume," I said, trying to not look at him as I nullified a patch of scorched light brown hair.

"Who's doing the bullying here?" he muttered under his breath.

"Everyone is," I frowned. "Everyone hurts everyone."

I felt his stare. "Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath and turned to look at him. "I am, Natsume. Are you?" I enjoyed the way his name rolled off my tongue.

"And if I told you that I'm not?"

_Holy shit,_ I thought, _he _has_ to stop doing things like this to me._

"Go tell Hotaru that you like her. Before it's too late," I wasn't sure if I was completely serious, but he gave me one last look and turned away.

* * *

**Presented by the Alice Academy Festivities Council  
****- the first (annual) cruise 'n beach outing -**

_Have you ever wanted to see the beach and play with sand not  
created with the Illusion Alice?_

**_Lucky you! That may now be possible with higher  
Academy technology. Venture into the outside world  
in the safety of the fortified cruise ship. The beach  
will be protected with a barrier as well, so no need to  
fear kidnappings or attacks!_**

**Sign up with your homeroom teacher by XX date.  
There will be a casual dance & barbecue at the beach.  
Dress appropriately!**

Bring a date! (recommended)  
Bring a friend!  
Bring a pet!

_Fortification of ship: courtesy of Hotaru Imai  
__Barrier abilities courtesy of Shiki Matsuchika  
Chaperoned by Narumi-sensei, Serina-sensei,  
Nodacchi, and Natsume Hyuuga_

* * *

USER: permy_shouda  
COMMENT: Why is Natsume a chaperone?!

.

USER: nononoko  
COMMENT: The dance!

.

USER: mikansakura12  
COMMENT: THE BEACH!

.

USER: permy_shouda  
COMMENT: Does this mean Natsume-sama is required to go?! I'M COMING!

.

USER: shut_up_koko  
COMMENT: will u go 2 the dance w/ me anna?

.

USER: annacooks  
COMMENT: OK! :) koko, i'll be wearing a lime green sundress!

.

USER: hota_ruimai  
COMMENT: you're welcome, guys.

.

USER: ANONYMOUS  
COMMENT: Bad luck comes to those who come single. Just saying.

.

POST COMMENT:  
USER: _  
COMMENT: (150 characters)

* * *

**Mikan's POV**

Woah. Cool. I remember writing down in my diary about how I wanted to go to the beach with everyone. Who knew it'd come true? It's been almost five years since I've step outside the Academy. And though I wouldn't be able to visit Grandpa, it's alright. My friends will all be there.

Trust me. I am beyond jubilant right now. _Beyooooond_ jubilant. Just a bit mellow from seeing his name and reminding myself that I was utterly heartbroken. Usually we have to nag to get Natsume to come, but now that he's a designated chaperone . . . Wait, why is he a chaperone anyway? And who came up with the 'Bring a date' part? Who is it?! Who is out to make me sad?

Speaking of which, who would I even want to go with? Natsume has always been the guy to come to mind when it came to matters like this.

With another pained smile, I pushed him out of my mind. I was getting better and better at this denial thing, I remembered thinking, as I put my head down on the desk. I could always bring a friend, but I needed . . . not a _distraction_, but someone else to hold my attention. If just for a night. I couldn't imagine myself flitting around alone, always hyperaware of where Natsume was, what he was doing.

Usually, he was with us, so it was nice. For a long time now, it had been Hotaru, and Natsume, and Ru-

_Ruka_.

Hey. That could work.

_It wasn't impossible._

* * *

_From the Desk of iTomo_

Dear lovely readers,

Sorry for the ridiculously long delay. After having my heart broken from reading the manga, I rekindled my love for _Gakuen Alice_, so here I am. Working on churning an old love story out. And of course, my other GA project. Check it out :)

I'll honestly try sticking with these. It'll be good practice for me. I've honestly always sucked at story-telling. But I want to create the same kind of escape for others that my books and mangas have created for me.

Love,  
_Me_

Sing to the chorus of: CALL ME MAYBE

**Hey, I just wrote this.**

**But please don't hate me!**

**I'll update real fast,**

**so review maybe. (;**

**V  
V  
V  
V  
V**

**(wow my songs keep getting worse fml)**


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